29 Oct. 1938 Dr. Gardner W. Allen DEPOSITED IN THE GRADUATE SCHOOL OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION DISTRICT OF MASSACHUSETTS, TO WIT: DISTRICT CLERK'S OFFICE. Be it remembered, that on the twelfth day of January, A. D. 1819, and in the forty-third year of the Independence of the United States of America, Thomas B. Wait, of the said district, has deposited in this office the title of a book, the right whereof he claims as proprietor, in the words following, to wit: "State Papers and Publick Documents of the United States, from the accession of George Washington to the Presidency, exhibiting a complete view of our Foreign Relations since that time. Third edition. Published under the patronage of Congress. Including Confidential Documents, first published in the second edition of this work." In conformity to the act of the Congress of the United States, entitled, "An act for the encouragement of learning, by securing the copies of Maps, Charts, and Books, to the authors and proprietors of such copies, during the times therein mentioned:" and also to an act, entitled, "An act supplementary to an act, entitled, An act for the encouragement of learning, by securing the copies of Maps, Charts, and Books, to the authors and proprietors of such copies during the times therein mentioned; and extending the benefits thereof to the arts of Designing, Engraving and Etching Historical, and other Prints." JNO. W. DAVIS, Clerk of the District of Massachusetts. The date of the certificate of copy right in Vols. 1, 11 and X1, instead of the first should be the twelfth day of January. CONTENTS. Fage DOCUMENTS accompanying President's message, Nov. 8, 1808,relative Mr. Madison to Mr. Pinkney, Dec. 23, 1807, enclosing embargo law 25 Same to same, March, 1808, enclosing commission to Mr. Pinkney, as Same to same, April and July, 1808, enclosing correspondence with Mr. Mr. Pinkney to Mr. Madison, relative to transit duty on cotton, &c. Mr. Pinkney to Mr. Madison, May, 1808, enclosing notification of Mr. Pinkney to Mr. Canning, Aug. 23, 1808, proposing to suspend em- Message, Nov. 8, 1808, relative to England and France Report on foreign relations, Nov. 22, 1808 Message, Dec. 23, 1808, transmitting copies of all acts, decrees, orders Message, June 15, 1809, communicating correspondence between Mr. Pinkney and Mr. Canning; and Mr. Erskine and Mr. Smith Message opening Congress, Nov. 29, 1809 Documents accompanying above message, relative to Erskine's ar- Correspondence between the Secretary of State and Mr. Jackson, re- lative to the disavowal of arrangement with Mr. Erskine, October, 927 Message, Jan. 12, 1810, communicating report of Secretary of State relative to seizure of ships and merchandise under authority of List of American ships captured by Danish privateers Memorial of merchants and underwriters of Philadelphia, relative to Message, Jan. 12, 1810, relative to blockade of ports in the Baltick by France, and adoption of continental system by Russia and Den- Message, Feb. 9, 1810, relative to the free navigation of the Mobile Message, Feb. 17, 1810, transmitting report of Secretary of State rela- tive to French and British orders and decrees; also relative to Message, March 27, 1810, relative to call of the House for correspon- dence of our minister at London Message, May 1, 1810, transmitting report of Secretary of State, and letters to and from Mr. Pinkney and general Armstrong Message opening Congress, Dec. 5, 1810 Documents accompanying above message....Letters from Mr. Smith to Mr. Pinkney, relative to successor to Mr. Jackson, Chesapeake, orders in council, &c. Jan. May, July, October and Nov. 1810 Letters from Secretary of State to general Armstrong relative to French spoliations, letter of duke of Cadore, and revocation of French de- crees, June, July and November Letter from lord Wellesley, Feb. 20, 1810, notifying blockade of Spa. nish coast from Gijon to French territory Correspondence of Secretary of State, Mr. Pinkney, and lord Welles- ley, relative to recall of Mr. Jackson, orders in council, &c. Jan. Extract of a letter from general Armstrong to Secretary of State, Feb. Same to same, stating the emperor's complaints against America, and that he had determined to sell American property seized in Spain, 459 467 Same to same, May 24, 1810, enclosing copy of Rambouillet decree - and stating that he is authorized to declare that the Berlin and Papers in relation to West Florida, accompanying President's message Message, Dec. 28, 1810, transmitting report of Secretary of State, en. 468 475 478 490-500 AMERICAN STATE PAPERS. DOCUMENTS ACCOMPANYING THE PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE OF NOVEMBER 8, 1808. [Continued from Vol. VI.] Extract of a Letter from Mr. Madison to Gen. Armstrong. Department of State, July 22, 1808. "YOUR despatches by lieutenant Lewis were delivered on the 8th instant. It is regretted that the interval between his arrival and the date of your letter to M. Champagny, during which I presume some verbal intercommunication must have taken place, had produced no indication of a favourable change in the views of the French government with respect to its decrees; and still more that instead of an early and favourable answer to your letter, it should have been followed by such a decree as is reported to have been issued on the 22d April, at Bayonne. The decree has not yet reached the United States, and therefore its precise import cannot be ascertained. But if it should be, as it is represented, a sweeping stroke at all American vessels on the high seas, it will not only extend our demands of reparation, but is rendered the more ominous with respect to the temper and views of the emperor towards the United States by the date of the measure. The arrival of Mr. Baker with my letter of May 2d, of which a copy is herewith sent, will have enabled you to resume the subject of the decrees with the fairest opportunity that could be giver. to the French government for a change of the unjust and unwise course which has been pursued, and I assure myself that you will not have failed to turn the communications with which you are furnished to the best account. If France does not wish to throw the United States into the war against her, for which it is impossible to find a rational or plausible inducement, she ought not to hesitate a moment, in revoking at least so much of her decrees as violate the rights of the sea, and furnish to her adversary the pretext for his retaliating measures. It would seem as if the imperial cabinet had never paid sufficient attention to the smallness of the sacrifice which a repeal of that portion of its system would involve, if an act of justice is to be called a sacrifice. The information by the return of the Osage from England is not more satisfactory than that from France.Nothing was said on the subject of the Chesapeake, nor any thing done or promised as to the orders in council. It is probable that further accounts from the United States were waited for, and that the arrival of the St. Michael I will have led to a manifestation of the real views of that government on those and other subjects. In the mean time it cannot be doubted that hopes were cherished there of some events in this country favourable to the policy of the orders, and particularly that the offensive language and proceedings of France, would bring on a hostile resistance from the United States; in which case the British government would be able to mould every thing to its satisfaction. There is much reason to believe that if the British government should not concur in a mutual abolition of the orders and of the embargo, it will result from an unwillingness to set an example which might be followed and might consequently put an end to the irritating career of her enemy, on which the calculation is built. Might not use be made of this view of the matter in those frank and friendly conversations which sometimes best admit topicks of a delicate nature, and in which pride and prejudice can be best managed, without descending from the necessary level? In every view it is evidently proper, as far as respect to the national honour will allow, to avoid a style of procedure which might co-operate with the policy of the British government, by stimulating the passions of the French." |